Control system



Sept. 2, 1941. w. O 2,254,886

' CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 25, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 \s I K T 3;

d U t A WITNESSES: I INVENTOR Sept. 2, 1941.

w. G. COOK I 2,254,886

CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 25, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES:

INVENTOR WZ'Z/ard 6' C001.

Sept. 2, 1941. w. G. COOK 2,254,886

CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 25, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESSES:

INVENTOR MZ/ara 61. 000k.

Sept. 2, 1941. w. G. cooK 2,254,385

CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 25, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESSES: I I INVENTOR WzZZard 6'. 000%.

\ATTORN Patented Sept. 2, 1941 CONTROL SYSTEM Willard G. Cook, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 25, 1939, Serial No. 269,907 18 Claims. (01. 172-239) My invention relates, generally, to control systems and, more particularly, to control systems for-maintaining a desired relation between the output potentials of a plurality oi generators.

In the operation ,of two or more associated work devices between whose speeds it is desired to maintain a desired relationship, it is common practice to drive one of the devices by a motor whose armature is energized by a continuouslydriven generator the output potential of which is varied by varying its excitation in accordance with the speed of the other device. Thus as the speed of the second mentioned of these devices is varied, the armature energization of the first mentioned device is varied to vary the speed of the first device accordingly.

This method of maintaining the desired speed relationship between work devices has been applied to rolling mills where the reel motor or run-out table motors are energized by a continuously driven main generator, the excitation of the main generator being provided by a continuously excited pilot generator driven by the mill roll motor and thus exciting the main generator in accordance with the speed of the mill motor. It will be understood that the output po-- tential of the main generator will be proportional to the output potential of the pilot generator and the speeds of the reel motor or table roll motors and the mill motor will have the same relationship.

This system has the disadvantage however that during periods of acceleration and deceleration of the mill the potential of the main generator does not maintain the proportional relationship with the potential of the pilot generator due to the fact that the main generator, being a relatively large machine, has a field winding of, relatively high inductance and this causes a considerable time lag between a given change in the potential of the pilot generator and the potential of the main generator which is controlled by the potential of the pilot generator. sired speed relationship of the mill rol1,-reel, and

table roll motors will not be maintained during acceleration and deceleration periods of a rolling mill controlled by this system.

Itis the object of the invention, therefore, to provide a control system for a plurality of work devices which shall function to maintain a desired speed relation between the work devices regardless of the acceleration and deceleration of the devices. A

Another object 01 the invention is to provide Thus the dea control system for a plurality of generators 55 which shall'function to maintain a predetermined selectable proportional relationship between the output potentials of the generators.

A further object 01 the invention is to provide a control system for a plurality of motors which shall function to maintain a predetermined selectable speed relation between the motors.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters are used to designate identical and similar elements of structure and in which,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a control system for a portion of a rolling mill embodying the principal features of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a control system for a portion of a strip rolling mill embodying the principal features of my invention, and,

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views of other embodiments of my invention.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. l, the reducing rolls i0 and the run-out table rolls, i2, ,16, and I8 of a rolling mill are provided with drive motors 20, 22, 24, 28 and 28, respectively. The roll motor is connected to be energized by a generator 30 whose output potential may be varied to control the speed of the motor 20.

The table roll motors 22, 24, 2| and 28 are connected to be energized by a generator 32 whose .excitation is varied in accordance with the speed of the roll motor 20 by connecting one of its field windings to be energized by a pilot generator 34 driven by the motor 20. Field forcing of the generator 32 is provided by a pilot generator I! which is connected to vary the excitation of the generator 32 in accordance with the diflerence between the output potentials of the generators 32 and 3|.

In the embodiment oi the invention shown in Fig. 2, the roll motor 20 drives the rolls of a strip rolling mill and the generator 32 energizes a motor which drives a reel 2 for winding the strip 44 as it passes through the mill in the direction of the arrow. The reel motor 40 is provided with a current regulator 46 which functions to maintain ,a predetermined output load on the motor 40 thus producing a substantially constant tension on the strip 44. The other elements of the system are the same and perform the same functions as those bearing the same reference characters in the system of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment oi the invention of Fig. 3, the generators 32, I4 and 38 function in the same general way as in the embodiments of Figs. 1 and booster generator field winding are provided to perform the function of selectively varying the ratio of the output potentials of the generators 32 and 34.

In the embodiment of .the invention of Fig. 5, the booster generator 36 is excited in accordance with the'difierence between the potential of the pilot generator 34 and that of a pilot generator 34. driven by the table roll motor 22.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig.

'6 provides for simultaneous adjustment of the field energization of the main generator 30 and the generator 32 which energizes the reel motor or the table roll motors, by means of a rheostat The pilot generator 36 is excited in accordance with the difierence in the output potentials of the generators 30 and 32.

It is to be understood that the systems shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 may be'substituted tor the corresponding elements in the system of Fig. 1, that the system of Fig. 6 may be substituted for the corresponding elements of Figs. 1 and 2, that the systems of all of the figures may be used to control analogous parts of other similar work devices, and that any operative sub-combination of any of the embodiments of the invention may be used in; other systems where its function as herein described may be utilized.

Referring again to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the rolls ID of the mill are driven by the motor 20 to act upon the slab 52, passing it through the mill in the direction shown by the arrow. The motor 20 is energized by the generator 30 through the conductors 54 and 56. The generator 30 is continuously driven by synchronous motor 58 or any other suitable driving means. The field winding 66 of the generator 30 is connected through a rheostat 62 to any suitable source of direct current power indicated by the conductors AB. The rheostat 62 may be adjusted to vary the excitation and, therefore, the output potential of the generator 30. This variation of the armature potential of the motor 20 will vary the speed of the motor 20.

.The field winding 64 of the motor 20 is connected through a rheostat 68 to the. conductors AB. The base speed or normal speed range of the motor 20 may be varied by varying its excitation by the adjustment of the rheostat 68.

The table roll motors 22, 24, 26 and 28 have their armatures connected in parallel circuit relation to be energized by the generator 32 through the conductors l0 and 12. The excitation of the generator 32 may be varied by adjusting the current flow in its field winding I4 winding 88 which is connected in series circuit relation with a rheostat 80 to the conductors A--B. The generators 32 and 36 may be continuously driven by. the motor 58 through an extension of its shaft 9|. The booster generator 36 is provided with a field winding 92 which is energized in accordance with the difference in the output potentials of the generators 32 and 34, the field winding 92 being connected by conductor 94 to one side of the generator 32 and by conductors 96 and 88 to one side of the pilot generator 34 and the other side of the generators 32 and 34 being connected together by the conductor 86.

In the operation of the system of Fig. 1, the excitations of the motors 26, 22, 24, 26 and 28 may be so adjusted as to provide the desired speed ranges of these motors. The output potential of the pilot generator 34 will be adjusted by means of rheostat 90, and the output potential of the generator 32 will be adjusted by the rheostat 16 to provide the desired relation between these potentials to establish such a speed relation between the motors 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 as will result in equal peripheral speeds of the rolls l0 and the table rolls l2, l4, l6 and I8. It

' will be seen that the output potential of the pilot by means of a rheostat 16. The generator 32 is provided with another field windinglB which is tials of the pilot generator 34 and the booster generator 36. The circuit for the field winding connected to be energized by the output potengenerator 34 will vary directly with the speed of the motor 26 since the pilot generator 34 is driven by the extension of the shaft 81 of the motor 26.

As the speed of the motor 20 is varied by varying the excitation of the generator 30, the pilot generator 34 will vary the potential applied to the field winding 78 of the generator 32 to thus vary the output potential of the generator 32 and vary the speeds of the motors 22, 24, 26 and 28 accordingly.

However, the size of the generator32 is such that its field winding 18 has a considerable inductance, and there will be a time lag between the change of the potential applied to the field winding 18 due to the change of the output potential of the pilot generator 34 and the corresponding change in the excitation of the generator 32 to produce a corresponding change in the output potential of the generator 32.

During the interval of this time lag the output potential of the pilot generator 34 will increase faster than the output potential of the generator 32, and there will thus be a corresponding change in the difierence in these potentials. Since the booster generator 36 is connected to be excited in accordance with the difference of the potentials of the generators 32 and 34, the output potential of the booster generator 36 will be increased thus causing an increase in. the potential applied to the field winding 78 to force'tthe field winding 18 by applying to it a higher potential than that necessary to provide the current fiow in the field winding 18 corresponding to the desired new output potential of the generator '32. Thus, the booster generator 36 will function to compensate for the time lag due to the inductance of the field winding 18 by applying an extra potential to this field winding proportional to this time lag, and this will result in a more nearly simultaneous increase of the output potentials of the pilot generator-34 and the generator 32 and accordingly the simultaneous pro roll motor 20 and the reel motor 40 in a strip rolling mill. The reel motor 40 is energized by the output potential of the generator 32, and, in addition, there is provided a constant current regulator 46 for maintaining a constant power output of the motor 40 for a given speed of the motor 40 to thus maintain a substantially constant tension upon the strip 44 as it is wound on the reel 42. The field winding 98 of the motor 40 is connected through a rheostat I and a resistor I02 to the conductors A-B.

The regulator 46 comprises a fixed core element I04 havin a winding I06 associated therewith connected to the conductors A-B in series circuit relation with a rheostat I08. A movable armature H0 is positioned to cooperate with the core element I04 and has associated with it a winding H2. The coaction of the armature IIO under the influence of the winding II2 with the core element I04 is such as to cause the armature I I0 to move downward against the biasing tension of the spring element H4. The armature H0 is attached to a pivoted arm I-I6 upon one end of which there is mounted a movable contact element I I8. The movable contact element I I8 cooperates with a fixed contact element I20 to close a shunting circuit for the resistor I02 through the conductors I22 and I24 as indicated. The winding I I2 is energized in accordance with the armature current of the motor 40 by connecting it to be influenced by the potential drop across the series field winding I26 of the motor 40 in a circuitv which extends from one side of the field winding I26 through the conductor I28, a rheostat I30, conductor I34, the winding H2 and a conductor I36 to the other side of the winding I26.

In the operation of the regulator .46, when the armature current of the motor 40 tends to increase beyond a predetermined amount, the increased energization of the winding I I2 will cause the movable contact element II8 to engage the contact element I20 to close the shunting circuit for the resistor I02, thus increasing the excitation of the motor 40 and tending to decrease its speed. Upon sufficient decrease in the power output of the motor 40 due to its tendency to decrease its speed, the contact elements I I8 and I 20 will be disengaged to decrease the excitation of the motor 40 and tend to increase its speed. These changes will occur rapidly and there will be a substantially continuous vibration of the arm I I6, the relative intervals of engagement and disengagement of the contact element I I8 with the contact element I20 depending upon the armature current of the motor 40. Thus, the control system will vary the potential applied to the motor 40 in accordance with the potential applied to the armature of the motor 20 to maintain the desired speed relation between these motors and the regulator 46 will vary this speed relation in accordance with the build-up of the strip onthe reel 42 to maintain a substantially constant tension on the strip 44.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3 functions in substantially the same way as that in Figs. 1 and 2 in maintaining the desired relationship between the output potentials of the pilot generator 34 and the generator 32, with a somewhat different method of exciting the booster generator 36. In this instance a potentiometer rheostat 48 is provided comprising a resistor I38 connected by means of the conductors I40 and I42 to b energized in accordance with the out put potential of the generator 32. The field winding 92 of the booster generator 36 is connected by conductors 96 and 80 to one side of the pilot generator 34 and by the conductor I44 to the movable contact element I46 of the potentiometer rheostat 48. This circuit arrangement permits the energization of the field winding 92 in accordance with the difference between the output potential of the pilot generator 34 and the potential drop in the resistor I38 between the contact element I46 and the conductor I40. Thus, the whole output potential of the generator 32 is not being compared with the output potential of the pilot generator 34 as in the embodiment of the inventions in Figs. 1 and 2 but only a selected portion of the output potential of the generator 32 is utilized. In this way the relative output potentials of the generators 34 and 32 may be varied by the adjustment of the contact element I46 of the potentiometer rheostat 48. Thus, if it is desired to change the speed relations of the associated motors, the system of Fig. 3 is used in connection with the rolling mills as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the potentiometer rheostat 48 may be adjusted by the proper positioning of the contact element I46 to produce the necessary output potential of the generator 32 to provide the armature energization of the reel motor or table roll motors for producing the desired speed ratio between these motors and the roll motor which drives the pilot generator 34.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4, a still different method of exciting the booster generator 36 is provided. The field winding 92 is,connectecl by means of the conductors 96 and I48 to be energized in accordance with the output potential of the pilot generator 34. The booster generator 36 is provided'with a second field winding I50 which is connected to be energized in accordance with the output potential of the generator 32 in a circuit which extends from one side of the generator 32 through a conductor I52, the rheostat 50, conductor I54, the field winding I50, and the conductor I56 to the other side of the generator 32. The field windings 92 and I50 of the booster generator 36 are connected to oppose each other, thus providing an excitation for the booster generator 36 proportional to the difference in the output potentials of the pilot generator 34 and the generator 32. In this system, the relative values of the output potentials of the generators 32 and 34 may be varied by adjustment of the rheostat 50 to thus adjust the net excitation of the booster generator 36 for a given output potential of the generator 32.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the pilot generator 34' is driven by the table roll motor 22 and has its field winding 88' connected for continuous energization through a rheostat 90' to the conductors A-B, as indicated. The armature of the pilot generator 34' is connected with its polarity opposing that of the pilot generator 34 in a series circuit extending from one side of the armature 34' through a conductor I 58, the armature of the pilot generator 34, conductor 80, the field winding 92 of the booster generator 36, conductor I60, 2. rheostat I62 and conductor I64 to the other side of the pilot generator 34. With this circuit it will be seen that the field winding 92 of the booster generator 36 will be energizedin accordance with the difference between the output potentials of the pilot generators 34 and 34' and the output potential of the booster generator 36 will also vary in accordance with this difference. Since the output potentials of the pilot generators 34 and 34 are proportional to the speeds of the motors 20 and 22, any variation from the desired relative speeds of the motors 20 and 22 will be compensated for by a corresponding variation of the excitation of the generator 32, thus adjusting the speed of the motor 22 by adjustment of its armature potential.

In the embodiment of the invention of Fig. 6, simultaneous variation of the speeds of the motors 20 and 22 is provided by the actuation of the rheostat 5| to vary the energization of the generators 30 and 32 which energize the armatures of the motors 20 and 22, respectively. The rheostat 5| comprises a variable resistor I66 connected in the energizing circuit of the field winding 60 of the generator 30 and'a variable resistor I68 connected in the energizing circuit of the field winding I8 of the generator 32. The variable resistors I66 and I68 are mechanically connected to be simultaneously actuated by an operating handle Ill].

The booster generator 36 is also connected in circuit with the field winding 18 of the generator 32 and has field windings I12 and I14. The field winding I12 is connected to be energized by the output potential of the generator 32 in series with an adjusting rheostat I16. Similarly, the field winding I'M is connected to be energized by the output potential of the generator 30 in series circuit with an adjusting rheostat I18. The field I viding windings I12 and I14 are connected to oppose.

each other, so that the net excitation of the booster generator 36 will vary in accordance with the difierence in the output potentials of the generators and 32.

In the operation of thisembodiment of the. invention, when it is ,desired to change the speed of the motors 20 and 22, the rheostat 5| is operated, as hereinbefore described, to vary the energization of the field windings of the generators 30 and 32 and to thus vary their output potentials. If, however, due to the inductances of the field windings 6D and 18, the output potentials of the generators 30' and 32 do not vary corresponding amounts, the variation of the difference of these potentials will cause a variation in the excitation of the booster generator 36 which, in turn, will vary the energization of the field winding 18 of the generator 32 to thus force the field of this generator to compensate for the variation in the difference in the potentials of the generators 30 and 32.

It will be seen that I have provided a control system for a plurality of work devices which shall function to maintain a desired speed relation between the work devices regardless of the acceleration and deceleration of the devices, which may be adjusted as desired to vary such speed relations, and which shall be simple in operation and inexpensive to manufacture, install and maintain.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes, I have shown and described herein the preferred embodiments of my invention. It is to be understood, however, that the "invention is not limited to the precise constructions shown and described but is capable of modification by one skilled in the art, the embodiments herein shown being merely illustrative of the principles of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a control system for maintaining a predetermined relation between the output potentials of two generators, a motor, means connecting the armature of said motor to be energized byone of the generators so that the speed of the motor will be proportional to the output poten- 2. In a control system for a plurality of motors, a main generator connected to energize the armatures of certain of the motors, means proa first excitation potential for said main generator proportionalto the speed of another of the motors, a booster generator providing a second excitation potential for said main generator, and means exciting said booster generator in accordance with the difierence between said first excitation potential and the output potential of said main generator.

3. In a control system for a pair of motors, a main generator connected to energize the armature of one of the motors, means providing a first excitation potential for said main generator proportional to the speed of the other of said motors, a booster generator providing a second excitation potential for said main generator, and means exciting said booster generator in accordance with the difierence between the output potential of said generator and said excitation potential.

4. In a control system for maintaining a predetermined proportion between the output potentials of two generators, a motor, means connecting the armature of said motor to be energized by one of the generators so that the speed of the motor will be proportional to the output potential of the one generator, means providinga first excitation potential for the other generator proportional to the speed of said motor, a booster for the said other generator, and means controlling the output tor in accordance with the difierence between the output potential of the said other generator and said first excitation potential.

5. In a control system for maintaining a predetermined speed relationship between a pair of motors, a generator connected to energize the armature of one of the motors, means providing a first excitation potential for said generator proportional to the speed of the other of the motors, means providing a second excitation potential for said generator proportional to the difference between the output potential of said generator and said first excitation potential, and means for selectively varying the value of said second excitation potential per unit of difference between said generator output potential and said first excitation potential to thereby vary the speed relationship between the motors.

6. In a control system for maintaining a predetermined proportion between the output potentials of two generators, a 'motor, means connecting the armature of said motor to'be energized by one of the generators so that the speed of the motor will be proportional to the output potential of the one generator, means providing a first excitation potential for the other generator proportional to the speed of said motor, means pro: viding a second excitation potential for the other generator proportional to the difference between the first excitation potential and the output potential of the said other generator, and means for selectively varying the value of said second potential of said booster generafirst excitation potential to thereby vary the proportion between the output potentials of the two generators.

7. In a control system for maintaining a predetermined speed relationship between a pair of motors, a generator connected to energize the armature of one of the motors, means providing a first excitation potential for said generator proportional to the speed of the other of the motors; means providing a second excitation potential for said generator proportional to the differ ence between the output potential of said generator and said first excitation potential, and means for selectively varying the proportion between the speed of the said other motor and said first excitation potential to thereby vary the speed relationship between the motors.

8. In a control system for a pair of generators, a booster generator, circuit means connecting said booster generator and one of the pair of generators to provide excitation potential for the other of the pair of generators, a potentiometer rheostat connected to be energized by the output potential of the said other generator, and means controlling the output potential of said booster generator in accordance with the difference between the output potential of the said one of the generators and the potential drop across a selected portion of said potentiometer rheostat.

9. In a control system for a pair of generators, a booster generator, circuit means connecting said booster generator and one of the pair of generators to provide excitation potential for the other of the pair of generators, a first excitation circuit for said booster generator connected to be energized in accordance with the output potential of the said one generator, a second excitation circuit for said booster generator connected to be energized in accordance with the output potential of the said other generator, and means for selectively varying the eil'ective resistance of one of said first and second excitation circuits.

10. In a control system for maintaining the desired ratio between the speeds of associated motors of a rolling mill, a pilot generator driven by one of the motors providing a pilot generator potential proportional to the speed of the said one motor, a main generator connected to energize the armatures of the other motors, a booster generator, circuit means connecting said pilot generator and said booster generator to provide excitation potential for said ma n generator, a first excitation circuit for said booster generator connected to be energized in accordance with the output potential of said pilot enerator. a second excitation circuit for said booster generator connected to be energized in accordance with the output potent al of said main generator, and means for selectivelv varying the efiective resistance of one of said first and second excitation circuits.

11. In .a control system for maintaining the desired ratio between the speeds of associated motors of a rolling mill, a pilot generator driven by one of the motors providing a pilot generator potential proportional to the speed of the said one motor, a booster generator, a main generator connected to energize the armatures ot' the other motors, circuit means connecting said pilot generator and said booster generator to tential of said booster generator in accordance with the difference between the output potential of said pilot generator and the potential drop across a selected portion of said potentiometer rheostat.

12. In a control system for maintaining the desired ratio between the speeds of the roll drive motor and the reel motor of a strip rolling mill, in combination, a pilot generator driven by the roll motor providing a pilot generator voltage proportional ,to the roll motor speed, a booster generator, a main generator connected to ener gize the armature of the reel motor, means connecting said main generator to be excited by the potentials of said pilot generator and said booster generator, means exciting said booster generator in accordance with the difference between the output potentials of said pilot generator and said main generator, and regulating means for maintaining a substantially constant reel motor power output.

13. In a control system for a pair of motors, a main generator for each motor connected to energize the armature of each of the motors, a booster generator connected in circuit with the field winding of one or said main generators, and means controlled by the output potentials of the main generators for exciting said booster generator.

14. In a control system for a pair of generators, a booster generator, means providing energization of the field winding of one of the pair of generators proportional to the sum of the output potential of the other generator and the booster generator, and means exciting said booster generator in proportion to the difference be- 'be energized by the potential of said main generator, and a field winding for said booster generator connected to be energized by the potential of said pilot generator.

16. In a control system for a pair of motors, a main generator connected to energize one of the motors, a pilot generator driven by the other motor, a booster generator, means connecting said booster generator, said pilot generator and the field winding of said main generator in series circuit relation, a variable resistor connected to be energized by said main generator, and a series circuit extending from the movable contact element of said variable resistor to one side of said resistor and including said pilot generator and the field winding of said booster generator.

17. In a control system for a plurality of motors, a pilot generator driven by one of the motors, a main generator connected to energize other of the motors, a booster generator having separate field windings connected to be energized by the respective main and pilot generators, and means for exciting said main generator in accordance with the potentials of said pilot and booster generators.

18. In a control system for a plurality of motors, a pilot generator driven by one of the motors, a main generator connected to energize generator and circuit means connecting the field winding of said booster generator between one terminal of said booster generator and the movable contact element of said variable resistor.

WILLARD G. COOK. 

